Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) (Amendment) Regulations, Government Notice no. 96 of 2025

Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 GN No. 96 of 2025 Government Gazette of Mauritius No. 78 of 4 October 2025 THE ENVIRONMENT ACT 2024 Regulations made by the Minister under section 102 of the Environment Act 2024 1. These regulations may be cited as the Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) (Amendment) Regulations 2025. 2. In these regulations - "principal regulations" means the Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020. 3. Regulation 1 of the principal regulations is revoked and replaced by the following regulation - 1. These regulations may be cited as the Environment (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020. 4. Regulation 2 of the principal regulations is amended - (a) by deleting the definitions of "biodegradable plastic bag", "compostable plastic bag" and "plastic" and replacing them by the following definitions - "biodegradable plastic bag" means a plastic bag that - (i) undergoes degradation as a result of the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae; and (ii) meets the standards listed in the Third Schedule; "compostable plastic bag" means a plastic bag that - (i) undergoes degradation by biological processes in any composting facility within a defined period not exceeding 7 months; and (ii) meets the standards listed in the Third Schedule; "plastic" means a material containing any polymer listed in the Sixth Schedule; (b) in the definition of "plastic bag", in paragraph (a), by deleting the words "which is not biodegradable or compostable" and replacing them by the words "does not meet the standards listed in the Third Schedule". 5. The Third Schedule to the principal regulations is amended by adding the following new items - 7. AS 5810 8. BS EN 17427 6. The principal regulations are amended by adding the Sixth Schedule set out in the Schedule to these regulations. 7. These regulations shall come into operation on 1 October 2025. Made by the Minister on 1 October 2025. SCHEDULE [Regulation 61 SIXTH SCHEDULE [Regulation 2] 1. Polyethylene 2. Polypropylene 3. Polybutylene 4. Polystyrene 5. Polybutadiene 6. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) 7. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 8. Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) 9. Copolymer styrene/butadiene 10. Copolymer ethylene/propylene 11. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) 12. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) 13. Polyamides (Nylon 6/11) 14. Polycarbonates 15. Such other material as the Minister may determine -------------------